MLB.com's Greg Johns blogs about the Mariners. You can also follow him on Twitter @gregjohnsmlb.

Mariners set their 28-man roster for opening games

Busy day again here in Tokyo, as I took an incredible bullet train trip to Sendai and then a bus ride through the tsunami-ravaged city of Ishinomaki with a group of journalists and some members of the Mariners and A’s, including Seattle manager Eric Wedge.

I’ll put a post up shortly with pictures from both the devastation and the kids clinic that the players put on with 100 young players who were thrilled to spend time with the Major Leaguers. But while we were on that journey, the Mariners announced their final 28-player roster for the two-game series with the A’s.

To get down to 28, outfielder Carlos Peguero and reliever Chance Ruffin were optioned to Triple-A Tacoma and catcher Guillermo Quiroz was reassigned to the Minor League camp.

Additionally, the Mariners selected three players on Minor Legue contracts — infielder Munenori Kawasaki and pitchers Kevin Millwood and Erasmo Ramirez. That puts those three on the 40-man roster, which is now full.

As expected, the Mariners will designate pitchers Millwood, Hiashashi Iwakuma and Hector Noesi as their three ineligible players for the Japan Opening Series, leaving them with a 25-man roster for the two games. The actual roster is at 28, so three more players will need to be moved before Seattle returns to regular-season play back in the States on April 6 in Oakland.

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.